A. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to boiler systems and, more particularly, to boiler systems of moderate size which are particularly adapted for use in residential environments for providing hot water for both heating purposes and for domestic water purposes.
B. Prior Art
Boiler systems heat a fluid, commonly water, for subsequent use such as heating, cleaning, etc. Heretofore, boiler systems have typically been bulky, of limited efficiency and, not infrequently, noisy. Attempts have been made to improve these systems, with varying degrees of success.
Boiler systems with heater sections of compact design are known; examples are U.S. Pat. No 4,055,152 issued Oct. 25, 1977 to Maurice Vidalenq; U.S. Pat. No 3,701,340 issued Oct. 31, 1972 to Avy Miller; U.S. Pat. No. 3,630,175 issued Dec. 28, 1971 to Edward Reid, Jr; U.S. Pat. No. 3,704,748 issued Dec. 5, 1972 to William H. Hapgood; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,706,303 issued Dec. 19, 1972 to William H. Hapgood. These boilers are configured such that a substantial number of their components must be specially manufactured for them, and this greatly increases their cost. Further, their construction is such that a large amount of hand assembly is required during fabrication, and this also adds to their cost of manufacture, as well as to their cost of maintenance and repair.
Progress in the area of compact home heating systems has been slow. Examples of proposed structures include U.S. Pat. No. 3,773,019 issued Nov. 20, 1973 to William H. Hapgood; U.S. Pat. No. 3,800,747 issued Apr. 2, 1974 to William H. Hapgood; and U.S. Pat. No. 2,904,014 issued Sept. 15, 1959 to R. L. Meyers. Efficient design of the entire system for both minimum space utilization and high thermal efficiency has generally been lacking.